[Originally published on my Medium page: link here]
Siddhartha is introduced as a Brahmin, which speaks towards how his life is supposed to go; he’s a natural, and his position in life is already laid out for him. However, his thirst for knowledge and constant questioning pulls him into a journey of self-discovery. While I thought Siddhartha came out as arrogant, specifically when speaking to The Buddha, I think everything placed in the book (from events to characters) was entirely purposeful towards the point of enlightenment. His journey takes him far from his life as a Brahmin, turning him into a business partner, a lover, a father, and many other roles (some not as admirable). While I’ve read many stories that introduce an array of characters along the way, this novel is refreshing; turning the main character into a variety of persons throughout his lifetime.
A review cannot do this book justice, it goes down as a “must-read” to fully understand the work properly. Hermann Hesse has an amazing mind which can create a fluent storyline that not only entertains the reader but turns the gears of the brain.
Nearing the end of the novel, I cried at Siddhartha’s last words. I think the rush of emotions was partly due to how long it took to reach this point of enlightenment. It’s not a very long read, but it seems like an entire lifetime spent beside the character. Not only that, but every word was filled with the air of unreachable depth and peacefulness — the final bearing of this process. Maybe my emotions got the best of me, or this book truly sneaked up on me. Either way, it’s one of my favorites of Hesse.
Read this book if you want a tale worth contemplating over or maybe you’ve been into self-discovery lately.
Rate: 4.5/5
Time: Can be read in less than a day
Book-Shelve Worthy: Buy it right now!
Quoteworthy
The opposite of every truth is just as true.
I was afraid of myself, I was fleeing from myself. I was seeking Atman, I was seeking Brahman, I was determined to dismember myself and tear away its layers of husk in order to find in its unknown innermost recess the kernel at the heart of those layers, the Atman, life, the divine principle, the ultimate. But in so doing, I was losing myself
Knowledge can be communicated, but not wisdom. One can find it, live it, do wonders through it, but one cannot communicate and teach it.
They both listened silently to the water, which to them was not just water, but the voice of life, the voice of Being, the voice of perpetual Becoming.
He has robbed me, yet he has given me something of greater value … he has given to me myself
I will no longer mutilate and destroy myself in order to find a secret behind the ruins.
We are not going in circles, we are going upwards. The path is a spiral; we have already climbed many steps
[Originally published in my Medium page: link here]
This book can be easily envisioned as a psychological movie, which (if directed correctly) could win an Oscar. Journey to the East blurs the lines between reality and heightened “reality” (what most would call imaginary).
Our main character, H.H, describes his spiritual travels with a group, The League, determined to find the ultimate truth. While everything seems to be going well, the disappearance of Leo marks the disintegration of the group (this small scene can inspire essays on topics such as groupthink, flow, scapegoat, etc.)
The description of the time spend travel to the east, reminded me of a cult; not the scary representation that the media has cultivated, but a more peaceful community of individuals. H.H tries to recount his experience in his novel, but fails to successfully put it into words or even recall his time within the League.
I grew a bit frustrated from how simple the novel seemed; It addressed and brought forth deep/complex topics, but didn’t venture further than that. It almost teased the reader as a “you should have been there” joke. I feel I got the bare minimum of the novel and that is exactly what Hesse wanted.
***Start of spoiler
H.H meets Leo again. Leo turns out to be the president of the league and the ultimate test of faith towards the league commenced when it disbanded. I felt bad for H.H when the League officials told him he strayed away from the league, even if he was desperately trying to find it all this time. In his search, he lost the basic practices and thoughts so he could never find his way back.
To remain faithful to a belief despite not being monitored, regulated, or in a community must be the only way to really instill a pure set of beliefs. It really brings to light who a person is or rather what they are made of without the help/influence of others.
Interesting ending — it can get confusing if you overthink it.
***End of spoiler
All in all it’s a very short novel, but when carefully dissected it becomes gigantic in terms of themes, symbolism, etc. Margin-writers must have.
Read this book if secret society with the upmost respect for knowledge is your thing or want a short story that makes your eyebrows pull together.
Rate: 4/5
Time: Can be read in less than a day
Book-Shelve Worthy: Might have to dedicate a whole space just for Hermann Hesse
Quoteworthy
Everything becomes questionable as soon as I consider it closely, everything slips away and dissolves.
[Originally published on my Medium page: link here]
Surprisingly, the narrator is not present when introducing the novel, rather the landladies nephew is the one who manages to share.publish the manuscript left behind by Harry Haller. Unsurprisingly, like many Hesse novels, it reads like day-to-day journal entries, which critically focuses on human psychology.
There’s a clear conflict from the beginning, Harry Haller is too intelligent to be stuck in a world constructed by and for the bourgeois society. Haller does come off as extremely arrogant, however, his whole “spiritually and intellectually awakened” persona isn’t ideal, rather it becomes the main reason for his disconnection with society and others.
On our late night walk with Haller, we come across The Treaties of the Steppenwolf, a short pamphlet that is claimed to be “not for everyone” and is a margin-writers dream. The pamphlet examines and introduced us to the perceived duality of the soul one being a man and the other a wolf; grouping savage, instinctual qualities to the wolf and civilized, posed qualities to the man. Both sides of the soul seem to be in constant disagreement, but one cannot rule without the other. This part was pretty comical to me, first because I think anyone could relate towards this simple explanation of the human soul — the constant struggle between instinctual gut feelings and society norms. As I was getting comfortable in the rant of dualistic entities inside of the soul, the pamphlet does a complete 180 and calls this idea idiotic and rudimentary; people that accept this do not understand the complexity that the human soul actually is — not two but many that cannot be defined nor understood in this lifetime. I highly enjoyed the pamphlet.
It does also touch lightly on the subject of depression and suicide — being as they are a result of the disconnect from others. The sole focus on the self, thinks only as far as the self, hence the timed lifespan (theres a bunch of other rabbit holes one can venture down).
After the pamphlet, Hesse provides a small encounter between Harry and a past friend to further prove that his intelligence serves as more of a burden; the arrogance is not intentional rather unavoidable (almost like a sickness). That being said, Steppenwolf does leaves on a hopeful note. It emphasizes the human need to connect and the constant struggles in belonging.
The novel is a hit or miss for readers, either the tone of Harry Haller becomes intolerable, the monologues becomes gruesomely long, or simply this work dims in comparison towards Hesse’s other works.
If you think this book is about a man turning into a werewolf — totally not for you.
Read this book if you try your best to understand others and even at time try to understand yourself.
Rate: 4/5
Time: Took me 3 days, tried to pace myself — could’ve done it in 2 days
Book-Shelve Worthy: It’s in the Hesse collection
Quoteworthy
Solitude is independence. It had been my wish and with the years I had attained it. It was cold. Oh, cold enough! But it was also still, wonderfully still and vast like the cold stillness of space in which the stars revolve.
You are willing to die, you coward, but not to live.
In eternity there is no time, only an instant long enough for a joke.
For what I always hated and detested and cursed above all things was this contentment, this healthiness and comfort, this carefully preserved optimism of the middle classes, this fat and prosperous brood of mediocrity
The man of power is ruined by power, the man of money by money, the submissive man by subservience, the pleasure seeker by pleasure.
I cannot understand nor share these joys, though they are within my reach, for which thousands of others strive.
I cannot understand nor share these joys, though they are within my reach, for which thousands of others strive.
[Originally published on my Medium page: link here]
Rate: 4/5
Time: Can be read in less than a day
Length: Smidge over 100 pages (short)
Demian is a coming-of-age novel of the protagonist and narrator Emil Sinclair. The reader is pulled into Sinclair’s psychological labyrinth as it grows desire, fear, confusion, and frustrations with the world and his own being. The underlying themes of the book bringing up age-old discussion and interpretations that reads differently towards every reader. I’d like to say that the first half reads as an autobiography of an ordinary person. The last bit of the novel does venture deep into Carl Jung’s’ theory of the collective unconscious, embedding archetypes and symbolisms that would make Jung proud.
I planned to take my time, reading only two chapters a sitting. However, it became impossible to want to put it down. Didn’t love Sinclair nor felt particularly any hate for him, I was curious to see where Sinclair ended up; Hesse has a way of introducing a character and wrapping you into them, as opposed to their world or relationships. I will say that I had to double-take when trying to figure out the Emil/Demian/Eva scenes.
Would you need to know psychology to enjoy the book? Nope, it’s a good story for readers that love classics and take pride in discussion (either alone or with a book club!)
Would it help to know a little psychology? Yes, and it’ll take you on a margin scribbling joyride.
Final sayings? Totally PG should be in the school curriculum, and the egg/bird quote is phenomenal
If you’ve already read it or don’t care for spoilers keep reading below.
Concept Spoilers:
TWO WORLDS: At first glance, this concept seems to reflect heavily on religious upbringing that a vast majority of individuals experience. The notion of growing up with preconceived ideologies attach Sinclair to dogmatic judgements of everything from the world, his peers, and even towards himself. While this concept and system of rights and wrongs does hold some foundation, it doesn’t encompass the complexity of the real world. The black and white perspective gets ultimately defeated and rendered useless when the argument of what is forbidden and permitted come up. The individual is in control of the rights and wrongs through their own boundaries, the external enforcement (be it laws or religion) deters back the Lawrence Kohlberg’s first level of cognitive development.
DEMIAN: Theres an interesting push and pull throughout the novel, as Demian, this enigmatic characters is a key figure in the development of Sinclair, allows Sinclair to do as he pleases only acting and speaking in pivotal scenes. Arriving with a district interpretation of the biblical Cain and Abel, he embodies the conflict and the temptation of breaking out of the two worlds view. He lets Emil retreat into his safe heaven after rescuing him from Franz’ tormenting, withdrawing his thoughts when going too far, and not interfering when seeing him at his lowest point. Guidance is the main word that comes up when thinking of Demian and he plays the role flawlessly.
ABRAXAS: I think the presence of the bird/egg painting and Abraxas is the major turning point in the novel where Emil goes from going through life to seeking a purpose and venturing into and outside of himself. Can write a 10 page essay on just how much I love the quote. The processes of Emil being introduced to his passion and his life goal and desires depends desperately on him breaking free from his past self and world. To be reborn into something new there must be the destruction of the old self/way. Abraxas also has strong attachment towards mysticism, mystery, and exclusivity of acquired knowledge - it is something that is not found by accident, but by intention.
PSYCHOLOGY: The concepts are there and this book provides great points of psychological discussion involving Freuds’ Oedipus complex and the majority of archetypes and symbols in Jung’s Collective unconscious. This shifts a lot of the relationships between the characters to be treated more like symbolic events/theories and personas. It’s would be simple to say Emil love Eva, but it wouldn’t do the novel justice by dismissing many other references that fit into this; such as the great mother, the dual mothers, and the animus-anima. Pick your poison, explore, and discuss.
Noteworthy Quotes:
When poets write novels they are apt to behave as if they were gods, with the power to look beyond and comprehend any human story and serve it up as if the almighty himself, omnipresent, were relating it in all its naked truth. (Prologue, Demian)
When I pictured the devil to myself, I found no difficulty in visualizing him in the streets below, disguised or undisguised, or at the fair or at the taverns but never at home. (Chapter 1, Demian)
He too was a ‘temper’ and moreover my link with the second, evil world with which I never wanted anything more to do. (Chapter 2, Demian)
Therefore each one of us must discover for himself what is permitted and what is forbidden as far as he himself is concerned. It is possible never to do a forbidden thing yet be the real villain. (Chapter 3, Demian)
It was the pattern of my life and death; It expressed the tone and rhythm of my fate. (Chapter 4, Demian)
The bird is struggling out of the egg. The egg is the world. Whoever wants to be born must first destroy a world. The bird id flying to god. The name of the god is called Abraxas. (Chapter 5, Demian)
When we hate someone we are hating something that is within ourselves, in his image. We are never stirred up by something which does not already exist within us. (Chapter 6, Demian)
I have grown accustomed to my inner life, resigned to the fact that I had lost my feeling for the outside world and that the loss of its bright colors was an inseparable part of the loss of childhood and that one must to some extent pay for the freedom and maturity of the soul with the renunciation of those pure gleams of light. (Chapter 6, Demian)
“You are like me; you are different from other people. You are Kamala and no one else, and within you there is stillness and a sanctuary to which you can retreat at any time and be yourself just as I can. Few people have that capacity and yet everyone could have it.”
No, I did not regret the past. My regret was for the present day, for all the countless hours and days that I lost in mere passivity and that brought me nothing, not even the shocks of awakening.
We leave behind the mental chatter of Gemini and enter the deep, deep waters of Cancer. Cancer is concerned with emotional security and achieves strength through surrender meaning the person with this sign on their 1st house will be vulnerable from the get-go. Their emotions within will be blatantly reflected in their face and everybody else in the room will feel it too. On the contrary, since the Moon blessed them with such high intuition they will be feeling others’ emotions also. They have to be careful not to mistake others’ feelings as their own. Since our ascendant determines the way we look Cancer Ascendant people will have enchanting and large-deep eyes, and their faces sparkling like the moon. Their smile makes other people feel warm inside - like coming home. But when they’re upset they will take the warmth away and those who did them wrong will definitely feel the sudden cold. Even though they might have a mysterious streak, it is their strength to make others feel safe in their environment. Their bodies will fluctuate just like the Moon. They have to respect its ever-changing nature since they can be frustrated with it. They might have softer features and a very soft skin perfect for cuddling.
Example Natives: Adele, Tyra Banks, Angelina Jolie, Kanye West, John Travolta, Mel Gibson
“One never reaches home,’ she said. ‘But where paths that have an affinity for each other intersect, the whole world looks like home, for a time.”
“Envolvia-o agora um ambiente de solidão, uma atmosfera tranquila, escapava-se gradualmente aquilo que o envolvia, imperava uma incapacidade para estabelecer relações, contra a qual nenhuma força de vontade ou nostalgia conseguia fosse o que fosse.”
Hermann Hesse, “O Lobo das Estepes”; escultura de Antony Gormley.
“Nele, o ser humano e o lobo não conviviam lado a lado, e menos ainda se entreajudavam; pelo contrário, eram inimigos mortais e digladiavam-se de modo permanente; o sentido da existência de cada um deles era apenas o de ser insuportável para o outro.”
Hermann Hesse, “O Lobo das Estepes”; ilustração de YinXin-He.
Solidão é independência: ao longo de muitos anos desejara-a e obtivera-a. Era fria, oh, se era, mas também sossegada, maravilhosamente sossegada, e vasta como o frio e sossegado espaço em que as estrelas executavam a sua dança de roda.
Hermann Hesse, “O Lobo das Estepes”; pintura de Andrew Whyeth: o modelo é extraordinariamente parecido com o poeta Daniel Jonas.
“Notável era também o facto de, algures em vales verdejantes, gente sadia e honrada cultivar videiras e espremer uvas para que aqui e ali, pelo mundo fora, já longe da origem, alguns cidadão desiludidos possam beberricar tranquilamente o seu quartilho e lobos das estepes desnorteados consigam obter um pouco de coragem e boa disposição dos seus copos.”
Hermann Hesse, “O Lobo das Estepes”; pintura de Edouard Debat-Ponsan.
Hermann Hesse nasceu em 2 de julho de 1877, em Calw, junto à Floresta Negra, numa família de missionários protestantes. Cá está ele aos quatro anos e meio, sacola a tiracolo e cara de poucos amigos.
“Um lobo das estepes que se tresmalhou, que veio errante até junto de nós, até às cidades e à vida gregária - nenhuma outra analogia conseguiria descrevê-lo de modo mais convincente: o seu acanhado isolamento, o seu estado bravio, a sua inquietação, a sua nostalgia pelo lugar onde perence e a sua pertença a lugar nenhum.”
Hermann Hesse, “O Lobo das Estepes”; pintura de Alfred Wierusz-Kowalski.
“Foi sobretudo o rosto do homem que, desde o início, me agradou; agradou-me apesar daquela expressão de estranheza, era um rosto porventura um pouco singular e até mesmo triste, mas que não deixava de ser alerta, bastante pensativo, elaborado, dotado de vivacidade espiritual.”
Hermann Hesse, “O Lobo das Estepes”; pintura de Philippe Maliavin.
“Este livro contém os registos que nos ficaram do homem a que nos referíamos como o «Lobo das Estepes», expressão que ele próprio por diversas vezes utilizava.”
